Soccer and Politics Mixing Again

Again ... I understand that soccer and politics are more intertwined than peanut butter and jelly. But I will NEVER be pleased about anything involving that mix.

Check out how the South Korean government will try to leverage its exclusive broadcasting rights when dealing with North Korea:

'Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) said Tuesday that it will not provide the feed unless Pyongyang signs a written promise to help its journalists cover certain issues in the North.

The conditions reportedly include allowing its reporters to cover how North Koreans react to watching certain games of the world's most watched sporting event.

``Our policy has been consistent from day one. No free transmissions,'' said Yang Chul-hoon, a deputy director of the network's news department.'

Alright, I certainly understand not giving free broadcast. That's how broadcasting rights work. But asking for journalistic freedoms from a country where freedom can't even be found in the dictionary is just foolish.

To make this issue harder on the North, they got used to having a free feed.

'North Korea received a free feed from the games of the 2006 World Cup in Germany during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, which practiced a more engaging policy than that of incumbent President Lee Myung-bak.'

I know North Korea's policies on basically every single issue are terrible, but this might be one of the few escapes a handful of people up there could have. South Korea officials: don't be dickheads.